Client Health and Wellbeing Policy
| Policy area | Client Health and Wellbeing |
| Document type | Policy |
| Applicable to | Beyondlimits Care & Support Services |
| Version | 001 |
| Date approved | 19/08/2024 |
| Approved by | Managing Director |
| Next review date | Every 12 Months |
| Related policies | Duty of Care Policy Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Policy Emergency and Disaster Management Policy Incident Management Policy Transition of Care Between Different Environments Policy Client Living Alone and Receiving Personal Care from a Sole Worker Policy Support Planning Policy Service Access and Exit Policy Service Delivery Policy Client Feedback and Complaints Management Policy Continuous Improvement and Quality Management Policy Mealtime Management Policy Medication Management Policy Food Safety Management Policy Manual Handling Policy Human Resources Management Policy Waste Management Policy Privacy Policy |
| Authority | NDIS Act 2013 NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators NDIS Code of Conduct UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Aged Care Act 1997 Aged Care Quality and Safety Standards Aged Care Code of Conduct |
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to explain our organisation’s commitment and approach to client health and wellbeing.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all our workers (employees, contractors and volunteers).
DEFINITIONS
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mental Health | This refers to a person’s emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and behave. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life — from childhood and adolescence through to adulthood. |
| Physical Health | This is the normal functioning of the body — and the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life without disease, sickness or injury. Mental health and physical health are related. Some of the key physical health factors that can promote mental wellbeing are: ● a balanced diet; ● proper sleep; ● physical activity/exercise; and ● reducing unhealthy habits (e.g. smoking, alcohol and drugs). |
| Reablement | Maintaining a person’s functional ability. It refers to the process of rehabilitating a person to enable them to learn, or re-learn new skills, or to gain or regain some or all of their independence. It involves developing strategies to work towards achieving personal goals. |
| Wellbeing | This is generally accepted as a combination of physical, mental, emotional and social factors — which all contribute to a person's sense of 'wellbeing'. |
| Wellness | A philosophy underpinned by an emphasis on preventative health measures, optimising physical and emotional function, independence and encouraging active participation and engagement. |
CONTEXT
Our organisation is committed to prioritising clients’ health and wellbeing in a way that:
- encourages and supports them to adopt and maintain good nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits;
- best suits their individual needs, abilities, circumstances, preferences and goals;
- safeguards them against violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation;
- escalates health-related issues, concerns and risks promptly as required;
- provides choice, control and self-determination;
- is culturally safe and communicated in a language, mode and method they are most likely to understand;
- upholds their privacy and dignity;
- promotes community participation and engagement;
- enables independence and capacity-building where possible; and
- empowers them to live their best life.
POLICY STATEMENT
#1
Encourage and Support Health and Wellbeing
- We will discuss with the client and/or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate ways to improve the client’s health and nutrition — and support them to do so.
- We will implement a system, and refer to health practitioners and other service providers as required, for assessment and planning that supports preventative care, wellness, reablement and maintenance of function.
- We will support the client to set small, achievable goals at first and then gradually move to bigger goals where possible.
- We will assist the client to make any required changes to their living environment and/or learn new skills to support achievement of their personal goals (healthy food choices, planning, shopping and cooking healthy meals).
- We will encourage and support the client to increase mobility, activity and exercise in a way that best suits their needs, abilities, circumstances, preferences and goals.
- We will encourage and support the client to actively participate and engage in their community (employment, volunteering, hobbies).
- We will ensure assessment, planning, service delivery and evaluation of services and supports are based on ongoing communication and partnership with the client and others the client wishes to involve in their care and support, to optimise the client’s health and wellbeing.
#2
Health and Wellbeing Review and Monitoring
- We will maintain processes to regularly review and monitor each client’s health and wellbeing and notify the family/alternate decision-maker/advocate of any issues, concerns or risks.
- We will recognise and respond appropriately, and in a timely manner, to any observed deterioration or adverse change in a client’s mental health, cognitive or physical function, capacity or condition.
- We will implement processes to optimise mental health by:
- identifying, monitoring and responding to changes in the client’s mental health;
- minimising distress, depressive symptoms, risk of self-harm, suicide or harming others; and
- facilitating access to mental health treatment when required.
- We will implement processes to monitor clinical conditions and routinely review and evaluate the effectiveness of each client’s Support Plan and complex care plan (if applicable) and update these:
- if the Plan is not effective;
- when the client’s needs or circumstances change;
- at transitions of care (to hospital, hospice, residential aged care);
- when there is a change in diagnosis; and/or
- if there is an observed deterioration in the client’s health and wellbeing.
#3
Referrals and Assessments
- We will support clients to undertake comprehensive health assessments, with input from their doctor, to identify health needs, enable active management of those needs and reduce health risks and poor health outcomes.
- We will refer identified mental or physical health risks or concerns to a qualified health practitioner for assessment, with the consent of the client or family/alternate decisionmaker/advocate.
- We will collaborate with other service providers, using a multi-disciplinary approach, to support the client to develop new skills, identify a support need and/or achieve goals. This may include a referral to a dietitian, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, exercise physiologist, counsellor, behaviour support practitioner, medical specialist or other professional.
#4
Risk Management and Reporting
- We will partner with the client and/or their family/alternate decision-maker/advocate to identify and document risks to the client’s health, safety and wellbeing and develop strategies to manage them.
- We will implement strategies to support our workers to recognise, identify, respond to and escalate in a timely manner client risks, concerns and deterioration or changes in their ability to perform activities of daily living, mental health, cognitive or physical function, capacity or condition.
- We will implement a process for the client, their family/alternate decision-maker/advocate and others involved in the client’s care to escalate concerns about the client’s health and wellbeing
- We will implement a process to ensure personal protective equipment is available to workers, clients and others who need it and provide support for it to be used correctly to minimise and prevent the spread of infection.
- We will manage incidents (including ‘near misses’) and conduct reportable/mandatory incident reporting in accordance with our Incident Management Policy and required regulatory reporting timeframes and formats.
#5
Information and Record-keeping
- We will ensure information and records are accurate and up to date.
- We will ensure information about the client's condition(s), needs and preferences are documented and communicated within the organisation and with others where responsibility for care is shared.
- We will ensure the client has provided us with all required written consents.
- We will store the information securely to ensure client privacy, dignity and confidentiality and make sure it is accessible to the client and only other stakeholders authorised to access it.
#6
Worker Training and Supervision
- We will maintain a skilled and trained workforce which is aware of clients' right to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making to achieve their own health and wellbeing goals.
- We will maintain processes to adequately monitor and supervise workers
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
Related procedures and forms include:
- Comprehensive Health Assessment
- Individual Risk Profile Assessment
- Participant Safe Environment Risk Assessment
- Practice Guidelines - Food Preparation
- Practice Guidelines - Choking
- Support Planning Procedure
- Service Access and Exit Procedure
- Service Delivery Procedure
- Transition of Care Between Different Environments Procedure
- Safeguarding Against Violence, Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation and Discrimination Procedure
- Continuous Improvement and Quality Management Procedure
- Client Feedback and Complaints Procedure
- Pain Management Procedure
- Polypharmacy Procedure
- Infection Management Procedure
- Oral Health Procedure
- Epilepsy Management Procedure
- Cardiovascular Management Procedure
- Prevention of Respiratory Infections Procedure
- Incident Management Procedure
- Routine and Disinfectant Cleaning Procedure
- Telehealth Consultation Procedure
- Manual Handling Procedure
- Waste Management Procedure
RESPONSIBILITIES
Managing Director is responsible for:
- maintaining this policy, its related procedures and associated documents;
- ensuring the policy is effectively implemented across the service;
- monitoring workers compliance with the requirements of this policy; and
- ensuring training and information is provided to workers to carry out this policy.
All workers are responsible for complying with the requirements of this policy.
COMPLIANCE
Deliberate breaches of this policy will be dealt with under our misconduct provisions, as stated in the Code of Conduct Agreement.
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